Improvement in water-closet seats



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D; L. HAWKINS.

lmprovementin Water Closet Seats No; 120,276. PatentedOct. 24,1871.

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Improvement inj/Vater Closet Sats;

No. 120,276. 7 Patented Oct. 24,1871.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID L. HAWKINS, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-CLOSET SEATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 120,276, dated October 24, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID L. HAWKINS, of Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented a new and valuable Improvementin Water-Closet Seats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a top view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

This invention has relation to the seats of water-closets; and the novelty consists in the application and arrangement of a cloth cover, which is concealed underneath the seat when not in use, and which may be drawn out through a suitable opening and fastened in place by the person using it. The object of this invention is to provide a means of procuring a clean watercloset seat, and prevent infection, in closets to which promiscuous access is had, and for such purpose the following-described contrivances are employed.

Referring to the drawing, A represents an or dinary water-closet seat with theopening at B. 0 represents a cover, made of carpet or other suitable material, attached to a cylinder, D, underneath the seat a short distance behind the opening B, and drawn out through a narrow slot, d. The cylinder D is hollow, and revolves around a stationary shaft, E, supported by the depending arms F, to which are journaled a cylinder, D The cylinders D D are coupled to gether by means of the gear-wheels D 1) at one end. Within the cylinder Dis arranged a coiled spring, G, one end of which is secured to the cylinder and the other end to its shaft in such a 7 way that the force of the spring tends to turn the cylinder back in one direction and to wrap up the cover (3, one end of which issecured to the cylinder. An opening is made in the cover corresponding to the opening B in the seat, and a beveled slat, G, attached to its forward end and adapted to fit the recess or slot d. This slat is mortised to receive the bolt of a lock attached to the seat, and provided so as to prevent the promiscuous use of the cover. It represents a ring by which to withdraw the cover. h indicates a hook, to which said ring is fastened in order to hold the cloth over the seat. I repre sents a cloth, one end of which is secured to the cylinder D and the other to the cylinder D When the lever G is drawn out the cloth I is wound around the cylinder D and when the cover is drawn back by the force of the coiled spring the cloth I is unwound from the cylinder D and wound around the cylinder D, between the alternate folds of the cover. In this way it prevents any strain which may be made on the cover from passing through the diiferent folds.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The movable cover (J for water-closets, consisting of a piece of cloth having the opening, as described, and adapted to be drawn through the slot 01, as and for'the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the water-closet seat A, of the cover 0, cylinder D, coiled spring G, and shaft E, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the cover 0, cylinders D D spring G, cloth I, and gear-wheels D D applied to the seat of a water-closet, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID L. HAWKINS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS GoULBURN, W. VoN SoHwENINe. 

